A Frankenstein Dump Truck

Renowned Canadian maker Mathias Wandel shot this video of his friend Andy’s homemade dump truck. Andy built it as an alternative to using ATVs to deliver supplies to tree planters working in rough terrain.

It did not end up being used for that purpose because no insurance company would provide liability coverage for it. Andy kept the vehicle and uses it to haul firewood and plow snow on his farm.

The truck was built with parts from a variety of vehicles: a diesel engine and transmission from an 85 VW Jetta, differentials and a radiator from a Toyota truck, seats from a Ford van, and Parts from other vehicles too numerous to mention.

The body and frame were built from scratch, and the dump bed hydraulics came from a kit.

While parts were scavenged from multiple vehicles, the construction of the truck was anything but random; Andy planned the build and experimented along the way. Configured as a COE (cab over engine), the truck has a dump bed, doors, lights, and even a heater and defroster.

Watch the video and you’ll see Andy and Mathias discuss the details of construction and then go for a ride over rough terrain. It’s clear from their conversation that Andy is already thinking about his next build.